Alto de Letras

Fresno, Tolima, Colombia

“Throughout most of Colombia, you simply have to go uphill to get anywhere. Climbing is a necessity.”

Pacho Rodriguez, winner of stages at the Vuelta a España and Dauphiné Libéré

Alto de Letras is probably the longest cycling climb in the world: over the course of 83 kilometers (52 miles), it climbs 3,195 meters (10,482 feet)—not the steepest ascent there is, but given the length and overall elevation change, large difficulties are present (climate changes and differences in oxygen availability compound the sheer physical effort required by an 83km climb).